By DON SICO
Nov. 6, 2008
OK. That election is
over. Let’s move on to the next one; the big
one; the one that really matters: The 2009
New Jersey election for Governor.
Republicans will need to
field a strong candidate to be successful in
a state that is more deep purple than blue.
We need someone who can fight the tide; a
known quantity; a brand name, but with a
fresh statewide face; someone who has stood
the test of time and has been tested by the
ballot.
There is one person who
immediately comes to mind and he did not
serve in the Bush Administration: Second
District Congressman Frank LoBiondo.
In the face of an election
night tsunami; in a district with more than
16,000 registered Democrats than
Republicans; Congressman LoBiondo not only
parted the crashing waves, but crushed his
opponent by 20 percent.
But there’s more, because
obviously simply winning big for a
Republican cannot be the sole qualifier – we
had quite a few big winners on Tuesday
night: Rodney Frelinghuysen, Scott Garrett,
Chris Smith and Leonard Lance , to name a
few.
While the “maverick” label is
tainted, LoBiondo has an independent streak
that should serve him well in a statewide
race. He has been one of the U.S. House’s
most independent thinkers for most of his
service. He bucked his party on the bailout;
on the minimum wage increase; and on funding
for children’s health insurance – all votes
against the Party Leadership.
"I don't answer to anyone in
Washington," LoBiondo said during his
victory speech on election night. "I answer
to all of you."
A successful small business
man, who still has his hand in the family
trucking firm with his 100-year-old mom,
Frank LoBiondo understands how to meet a
payroll and create a job.
But there’s more: Labor loves
him. His labor endorsements read like a
union who’s who: New Jersey State Lodge
Fraternal Order of Police, NJ State AFL-CIO,
UNITE HERE Local 54 PAC,
NJ State Building &
Construction Trades Council, United Auto
Workers, New Jersey Education Association,
New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent
Association, Professional Firefighters
Association of New Jersey, New Jersey
Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association,
International Association of Firefighters
(IAFF), Atlantic City Firefighters Local
198, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #148,
Vineland, National Association of Police
Organizations (NAPO)
New Jersey Law Enforcement
Commanding Officers Association, South
Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters,
National Association of Letter Carriers,
Atlantic/Cape May Counties Letter Carriers
Local 903, The National Treasury Employees
Union, Rutgers Council of AAUP Chapters,
International Federation of Professional &
Technical Engineers and the New Jersey State
Industrial Union Council (IUC).
And while I am not foolish
enough to believe that all of these
endorsements would hold in a statewide race
with a Democrat in New Jersey, some, maybe
most, will.
But there’s more:
environmentalists swoon over Frank
LoBiondo. He received the endorsement and
support of The Sierra Club, the League of
Conservation Voters and the New Jersey
Environmental Federation.
The media loves the guy:
every single newspaper that covers his
district – an incredible nine newspapers –
endorsed him.
Experience, you want
experience? LoBiondo has served as a local
(Cumberland County Freeholder), state
(Assembly) and federal (U.S. House) level.
In the House, he has served on committees
with jurisdiction over transportation,
infrastructure, water resources, maritime
transportation, aviation and armed services.
Oh yeah, veterans like the
guy too. (That might have something to do
with his work to expand community-based
health care providers; his work to expand
veteran outpatient clinics in Cape May and
Vineland; or to get a handicap transport van
for veterans.)
Do you want an elected leader
who will be careful with your tax dollars?
Consider this: Frank LoBiondo has spent the
least on his Congressional operations of ANY
current House member serving since 1995. He
gives the unspent funds back to the U.S.
Treasury.
Oh, and can I just throw in
that LoBiondo is an animal lover who with
his wife Tina rescued two Weimaraners and
volunteered at the local Society for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals?
But here is the bottom line:
Frank LoBiondo is a populist conservative
who can win. Geographically, he has already
represented one-third of the entire State of
New Jersey. I really want to back a winner
in 2009.
Frank, please run. Our party
and our state need you.
